SG Breaking News

SINGAPORE: The temporary grounding of SilkAir's fleet of six Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from service on Tuesday (Mar 12) will have an impact on its schedules, the airline said.

The announcement came after Singapore's aviation regulator ordered the temporary suspension of all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into and out of the country, after safety concerns were raised following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane on Sunday killing all those on board.

The crash on Sunday involved a Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet.

"As of this morning, all six aircraft have been grounded in Singapore and will not be returned to service until further notice," said the airline in a Facebook post. "Our 17 Boeing 737-800NGs are not affected."

"The withdrawal from service of the 737 MAX 8 fleet will have an impact on some of the airline's flight schedules," it added. "Customers who may be affected by flight disruptions will be contacted for re-accommodation."

The airline said it was in "close communication" with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group to manage the effects of flight disruptions, and said it would provide updates on affected flights "when finalised".